AUSTIN, Texas --- Tusculum University punter Andrew Cantrell has been named to the NCAA Division II Academic All-America® Football first team as selected by the College Sports Communicators.
Cantrell becomes the first three-time Academic All-American® in program history after earning second team accolades the past two years.
Cantrell, a graduate student from Sparta, Tennessee, earned Academic All-District honors on four occasions, a first by a Pioneer. He graduated from Tusculum in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. He finished with a 3.7 GPA and is working on his MBA at Tusculum. He is a member of the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll, Athletic Director's Honor Roll, Dean's List and Charles Oliver Gray Honors List.
Cantrell earned All-SAC Mountain Division first team honors this season as he finished fifth in the league in punting averaging 41.0 yards (27th in NCAA II) on his 58 attempts. His 24 punts inside the 20 were second in the league and led the SAC with 20 fair catches. He only had four punts result in touchback and did not have a kick blocked this year.
He tallied 13 punts over 50 yards including a career-long 70-yarder at Mars Hill, which is the seventh-longest in school history. He had two games where he recorded five punts inside the 20 with those coming against Chowan and Mars Hill.
Cantrell finished his Tusculum career as the program's all-time leader in punt attempts (246), punting yards (9587) and punts inside the 20 (82). His career average of 39.0 yards per punt is the seventh-best average by a Pioneer.
The Pioneers went 8-3 on the season and finished runner-up in the SAC Mountain Division.
Cantrell becomes the ninth TU student-athlete to become a three-time winner, joining an exclusive group which includes: David Cooper (men's cross country), Franziska Funke (women's tennis), Simon Holzapfel (men's cross country), Annie McCullough (women's tennis), Nicole McMillen (women's soccer, cross country/track& field), Carlie Thornber (women's soccer), Lukas Winkelmann (men's tennis) and Anna Alloway (softball).
The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First and second team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in December.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2022-2023 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs.
2022 CSC Academic All-America Football Team
First Team
QB – John Matocha, Colorado School of Mines
RB – Jariq Scales, Southern Arkansas
RB – Nolan Susel, Black Hills St.
WR – Jacob Bachman, McKendree
WR – Mason Karp, Colorado School of Mines
TE – Dagan Rienks, Colorado Mesa
OL – Noel Brouse, California (Pa.)
OL – Arik Johnson, Minnesota-Duluth
OL – Joel Linden, Grand Valley St.
OL – Gavin Posey, Ashland
OL – Adam Stilley, Shepherd
K – Dayne Koontz, Frostburg St.
K – Austin Wilkerson, Southern Arkansas
DL – Aaron Barnett, Indianapolis
DL – Loobert Denelus, Benedict
DL – Raydarius Freeman, Chowan
DL – Rashad Yelding, Lenoir-Rhyne
LB – T.J. Liggett, Augustana
LB – Nathan Moore, Notre Dame (Ohio0
LB – P.J. Sarwinski, Pittsburg St.
DB – Kijana Caldwell, Findlay
DB – Cooper Carroll, Harding
DB – Jaedon Pool, Emporia St.
DB – Eli Weber, Augustana
P – Andrew Cantrell, Tusculum
ST – Ben Limburg, Augustana
Second Team
QB – Noah Grover, Slippery Rock
RB – Jaquan Buchanan, Indianapolis
RB – Kendel Givens, Ouachita Baptist
WR – Connor Flannigan, Ouachita Baptist
WR – Jerome Kapp, Kutztown
TE – Mitchell, Goodbary, Augustana
OL – Darrell Davis, Indian (Pa.)
OL – Steve Dawson, West Florida
OL – Ben Farrar, Findlay
OL – Peyton Stafford, Ouachita Baptist
OL – Evan Taylor, Pittsburg State
DL – Nick Cone, Ashland
DL – Zach Howard, Northwest Missouri St.
DL – Colton Hyble, Grand Valley St.
DL – Olalere Oladipo, Ferris St.
LB – Josiah Behm, Minnesota St.
LB – Connor Kelly, Indiana (Pa.)
LB – Alex Kowalczyk, Wayne St. (Mich.)
DB – Peyton Buckley, Augustana
DB – Ja'Ron Kilpatrick, Benedict
DB – John Merica, Concord
DB – Steve Sweeney, Millersville
P – Hunter Kraus, Nebraska-Kearney
ST – Alex Schremmer, Fort Hayes St.
Academic All-American of the Year: John Matocha, Colorado School of Mines
